Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Yes, Sir, That's My Baby
While he was governor of Texas, George W. Bush fought tooth and nail to prevent passage of a patient's bill of rights, and then, two years later, claimed credit for passage of the bill while running for president.

Putting aside the fact that any brainchild of the president would most likely be stillborn, voters swallowed this claim, as well as the president's attempt to portray himself as a moderate, compassionate conservative.

President Bush fought against the very creation of the 9/11 commission, and then stonewalled them for months, according to commission chairmen Keane and Hamilton. He refused to testify before them under oath, and when he did, he had to have Dick Cheney with him.

Now, like Bobby Buchet's deadbeat dad in Adam Sandler's Waterboy, Bush has returned to claim a "success" that he had nothing to do with.

When it comes to the 9/11 commission's report, we're seeing Bush wrap select commission conclusions in swaddling clothes. He proudly holds up the committee's ludicrous conclusion that we're "Safer but not safe", for example.

The truth that really matters is the truth you don't hear on T.V. Here are some other commission conclusions the President gave up for adoption...

Bush failed to have even one meeting to discuss the threat of terrorism with his head of counterterrorism Richard Clarke. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 201.

142 Saudis, including 24 members of the bin Laden family, were allowed to leave the country after September 13. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 556, n. 25 [Note that Fahrenheit 9/11 understates the number of Saudis who left.]